The world system is one of trading: I give you something, wanting something back - I trade. I might trade my money, in order to receive something back; but the world system is a system of trading, buying and selling.
The kingdom of God runs on a different principle; but the problem is: we're so used to buying and selling and trading, that when we come to God, we start to think the same way about God:
“if I just give Him my offering, He will bless me”.
That's the principle of the world: trading, and buying/selling. It stops you coming into any kind of area of blessing, because it depends on your works.
“If I just tithe, then God has to bless me”. People think that, but actually that's not true. God blesses because He's a giver - He's generous and He loves to bless; and when you align your finances with His plan, then of course blessing starts to increase and flow - because you've actually brought it out of the power of Mammon.
So it helps us, if we understand that money, or finances, or wealth, or riches, have a spirit behind it, that seeks to use it.
I can have God on my money, and live in blessing in my money - a river of blessing in my finances; or I can have the Spirit of Mammon resting on it, and I will have many, many problems.
So the issue of money or wealth or riches, is really an issue of what controls your heart.
A person who has got a great heart with God, will be entrusted with a flow of resources to work through their life. Their money is good - it's got the blessing of God on it.
A person who's under the control of Mammon, will live with other problems on their life. We need to try and identify what they are.
We see then, that there is a spirit world; and there's a particular spirit called the Spirit of Mammon, which competes for your heart, your attention, your relationship with God.
Now you notice here it says: “No one can serve two masters…” So how does Mammon operate?
Is there any way I would know that Mammon has got a hold of my life? How could I know whether I'm under the influence of that spirit or not?
My assumption is: I'm not; but the problem is, that's the whole point of deception. You think you're one thing, and then it's something else; so we want to have a look at that.
So the first thing to realise is: Mammon's intention is to control your heart, your love and your loyalty.
Notice what it says here: “no one can serve two masters. He'll hate one and love the other. He'll be loyal to one and despise the other.” So here's the thing: Mammon desires - it's a spirit; behind this, is a spirit.
Here's the bait, and here's the spirit; and the spirit wants to use the bait to gain control over your life.
So how does it do it? What it's trying to do - its intention, is to have you love and serve and be loyal to it - and that's always the way of idolatry.
They wanted people to bow to them, to love them, to serve them - but all idolatry ended up in bondage, fear - terrible problems.
So Mammon is opposed to God. It's very clear in that scripture - you can't serve two masters. So Mammon is an ‘anti-christ spirit’. It's opposed to what God wants to do in your life.
In the last days, it will so control the world's financial system, that anyone who will not participate in that, will actually be marked out, and won't be able to trade - so it's a spirit.
Secondly: it is looking for slaves or servants.
Mammon is a spirit that seeks to control your life.
Don't think there's any neutrality in it - it's pushing on you all the time. It's talking on you all the time, so Mammon is the spirit that seeks - it's looking for a slave.
Here's the third thing: Mammon is looking to take the place of God in your life.
It's looking for slaves; it's looking to take God's place in your life. If it can succeed in taking God's place in your heart, then you will find yourself serving Mammon, not God; holding onto Mammon, not the Lord; despising the Lord when it comes to the area of God's provision for your finances, or your prosperity.